The Union is governed through distinct but integrated organs which include the National Delegates Conference, National Executive Council (NEC), Central Working Committee (CWC), National Administrative Council (NAC), Zonal/Area Council and Branch Executive Committees. The activities of all of these organs are co-ordinated by the National Secretariat of the union; staffed by appointed and elected representatives of the union.

National Delegates Conference

The supreme authority of the Union is vested in the National Delegates’ Conference. The National Delegates Conference is composed of:

• All elected National officers.
• All accredited branch delegates
• The General Secretary
• The Deputy General Secretaries
• Assistant General Secretaries
• Organizing Secretaries

The Chairperson National Women Committee and Zonal Women Committee Chairpersons and Secretaries.
National Delegates’ conference takes place every four years. As many as 250 members are often in attendance. The conference overviews reports from the National Secretariat and Zonal/Area Officers. National Officers are also elected at the conference namely; President, 2 Deputy Presidents, National Treasurer, 2 Internal Auditors, and 4 Trustees. General Secretary and 2 Deputy General Secretaries are also elected at the Conference.

National Executive Council (NEC)

The National Executive Council (NEC) supervises the administration of the union in between Delegates Conference. It consists of:

• All National Officers
• National Women Committee Chairperson
• Zonal/Area Chairpersons
• 2 representatives of the Zonal Council
• 1 representative of the Area Council

NEC meeting holds once in a year except there is an emergency NEC. Duties include to guard and further the interest of members of the union, carry out policy determined by the Conference, ensure proper and strict observance of the rules of the union by the members both individually and collectively, safeguard funds of the union, set up such departments or committees as it may deem necessary for the smooth and orderly conduct of the affairs of the union. NEC issues directives for proper governance and administration of union affairs, and perform such other functions as may promote the objects of the union.

Central Working Committee (CWC)
The Central Working Committee comprises the following:

• President
• Deputy Presidents
• Zonal Chairpersons/Vice Presidents
• National Treasurer
• Internal Auditors
• Trustees
• National Women Committee Chairperson
• General Secretaries
• Deputy General Secretaries
• Assistant General Secretaries
• Field Organizing Secretaries
• Chairperson of the Area Council

The CWC meets quarterly or as operational situation may demand. It has the power to discipline full time officers of the union. It also has power to suspend and dissolve any Branch Committee/Zonal or Area Council found guilty of anti-union activities.

National Administrative Council (NAC)

The National Administrative Council comprises:

• The President
• The Deputy Presidents
• The General Secretary
• Deputy General Secretaries
• National Treasurer
• National Women Committee Chairperson

The NAC meets quarterly or as operational situation may demand. The Body has the power to approve the appointment of senior staff below the level of AGS subject to the approval of the CWC or NEC and enforce disciplinary measures according to procedure laid down by CWC or NEC. It also has the responsibility of promotion of staff and decides on annual incremental rates for full-time employees of the union subject to ratification by CWC or NEC. It implements the decision of the NEC and CWC.

Zonal Council

A Zone consists of branches in every area of the business operations of the union with membership of not less than 5,000. The membership of the Zonal council is made up:

Chairperson
Secretary and
Treasurer of each of the branches in that Zone.
It co-ordinates the activities of the branches and ensures the implementation of decisions of the union. It promotes co-operation among the Branches, ensure that union policies are widely known, understood and implemented.

The Council meets once every four months or as emergency may demand and is being run by the Chairperson, Vice Chairperson and Treasurer, all elected at the Zonal conference, which takes place every four years and not later than one month after the National Delegates Conference. Council’s Chairperson on election, is the National Vice President of the union and represents the zone at NEC and CWC meetings.

Area Council

All branches in all areas of operation of the union that do not meet the requirement of a zone (i.e. 5000 members) shall combine to form an Area Council. Membership of Area Council comprises:

Chairperson
Secretary
Treasurer of each of the branches in that area.
The Area council coordinates the activities of the branches in its area of jurisdiction, and serves as an effective link between one branch and another. The council also promotes cooperation among the branches, more so, to ensure that union policies are widely known, understood and well implemented.

Branch Executive Council

A branch of the Union consists of not less than 25 members, in every industry. It has a Branch Executive Committee made up of

Chairperson
Secretary
Treasurer and six executive members.
The Branch holds its triennial General Meeting for the purpose of reviewing its activities and election of officers every three years. The Branch Executive Committee meets every month. It handles members’ grievances and ensures the implementation of decisions of the union.

Part-time and Full-time Officers

The union has part-time and full-time principal officers. The part-time officers are elected national officers which include the President, Deputy Presidents, National Treasurer, Internal Auditors, Trustees. These officers are ‘part-time’ to the extent that they are elected to serve the union nor more than two term-period (8 years). They also maintain regular employment in their respective places of work; while serving the union in varying capacity. Part-time officers are paid monthly working allowances during the course of their tenure.

‘Full-time’ officers on the other hand comprise the General Secretary, Deputy General Secretaries, Assistant General Secretaries and Organising Secretaries as well as other staff at the Union’s Secretariat. They are ‘full-time’ officers to the extent that apart from the General Secretary and Deputy General Secretaries that are elective, they are appointed on merits to serve the union up to retirement age baring offenses that can lead to termination or summary dismissal. ‘Full-time’ officers are paid salaries by the union and they maintain no regular employment than that of the union.

NUTGTWN Linked Departments

• National Secretariat
• Administration Unit
• Industrial Relations Department
• Education/Research Department
• Health and Safety Desk
• Women/Gender Desk
• HIV/AIDS Unit
• Accounts Department
• Informal Sector Unit

The union’s constitution empowers the Central Working Committee (CWC) to create any department when the need arises for administrative convenience.

National Secretariat

The General Secretary heads the national secretariat. He supervises, co-ordinates and integrates the general administrative organs and functions of the union. He oversees the activities of all the departments with his deputies and heads of departments.

Progress and Challenges

One remarkable achievement of the union is the area of organizing textile workers nationwide as well as protection of the rights of members at workplace. The Union has also made a giant stride in institution building.

Specifically, through collective bargaining, the union has been able to improve on wages and benefits of members. Well before unionization textile labour represented the least paid sector not only when compared to the Government sector but also in relation to other private sector companies. With the union, there has been a sustained increase in wages and benefits of textile workers.

The union has also successfully fought the tradition of ‘hire’ and ‘fire’ in the industry. It now has a guaranteed ‘Bill of Right’ which protects workers against management arbitrariness. The union thus ensures dignity of members.

NUTGTWN is an active and respected affiliate of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

The union has also actively invested time, human and financial resources in cultivating informed and committed membership through a systematic programme of education and enlightenment of members.

NUTGTWN also upholds and rests firmly on the cherished principles of unity, independence, democracy and solidarity. In a multi-cultural society such as Nigeria’s, the union provides for defense of workers’ rights irrespective of age, sex and origin. It also asserts its independence relying solely on members dues which are prudently managed by the union leadership.

NUTGTWN also ensures members’ participation in decision making processes through regular meeting and periodic elections that ensure continuous leadership successions at all levels.

In the aspect of institution building, the union has been able to construct three Secretariat buildings named ‘Textile Labour House’ in Kaduna, Lagos, Asaba and the fourth one recently in Kano.

Other achievements of the union include computerization of its secretariat operation, and establishment of functional departments, with competent staff.

The challenges before the union include improving on existing gains and striving to cope with rapid changes facing members at the workplace and society as a whole.